THE League Managers' Association today expressed their disappointment at the departure of Gordon Strachan from Coventry.

The 44-year-old Scot had been at the Sky Blues for almost five years but after a poor start to the season left this morning "by mutual consent".

And LMA vice-chairman Frank Clark, the former manager of Manchester City and Nottingham Forest, claimed the end to Strachan's tenure at Highfield Road after less than a month of the new season was "symptomatic" of football today.

"Obviously we're very disappointed when any manager leaves like this," he told PA Sport.

"It does seem very early in the season. I don't know all the circumstances and I haven't spoken to Gordon yet but after a relegation they needed to make a good start to this season which they haven't done."

Strachan oversaw the club's relegation from the top flight for the first time in 34 years last season and the club had recently endured a string of bad results.

But Clark believed that bosses were increasingly being given less time to produce the goods.

He added: "It's just symptomatic of the way managers are treated today. Time is a precious commodity and that's especially so with football management."

Ex-boss John Sillett, who led the club to FA Cup glory in 1987, believed the club may have acted too hastily.

He told Sky Sports News: "To me it's come as a shock. I thought the chairman and Gordon would have stuck with it.

"We can all shout and we can all point the finger but at the same time nobody has worked harder than Gordon Strachan.

"But the results are what you go by in this game."

Former players Mick Quinn and Mickey Gynn both called for chairman Bryan Richardson to follow Strachan out of Highfield Road.

Quinn, who played for Coventry between November 1992 and January 1995, said: "I think it's time for changes upstairs as well as the management.

"It's probably too soon (for Strachan to go) but the panic button has been pressed and you've got to stop the rot somewhere - you can't keep losing games."

And former midfielder Gynn added: "I don't really blame Strachan. I blame the chairman really. The chairman feels a bit of stick coming and the manager goes but I feel the chairman has more to answer for than Strachan."

The Midlands club had come under fire over the sale of John Hartson to Celtic, Craig Bellamy to Newcastle and Mustapha Hadji to Aston Villa, especially following on from the departure of star players Gary McAllister and Robbie Keane in recent years.

And Gynn reckoned the loss of such key players was instrumental in Strachan's downfall.

"If you sell five or six top quality players and don't replace them with the same quality you are going to struggle," he said.

"That caused their Premiership relegation last season and their miserable start this time."

But Strachan's departure did not surprise Gynn after he witnessed the scenes of protest at Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Grimsby.

"I was at the game and you could see the feeling from the fans. There was so much frustration and anger."

Another former player, Keith Houchen, whose diving header provided Coventry's second goal in the club's finest hour as they beat Tottenham 3-2 at Wembley 14 years ago, felt that Strachan's departure had become inevitable.

"You get to a position where it is untenable. It happened to me when I was managing Hartlepool and when it's that bad it is better just to walk away.

"You get to the stage where you are working harder and you are just getting negative vibes. There was obviously a nasty element among the fans who had turned against him.

"Football has always been about winning and getting results and he has been pretty unsuccessful in the past two seasons," said Houchen.

He believed Coventry could not allow the situation to continue much longer.

"There is that much money tied up in the game nowadays and the difference between being in the Premiership and the First Division is millions of pounds.

"Clubs can't afford to give people too long in that situation because the season can get away from you very quickly," he added.

West Brom boss Gary Megson has been established as an early favourite to fill the Highfield Road vacancy - but former Coventry boss Phil Neal believes he may not be the best choice.

He said: "Gary Megson has had so many jobs. He seems to jump from one to another, which is precisely what Coventry don't need at the moment.

"They need someone who is going to stay for three or four years and build the club up.

"It is a warm, hospitable club, which just needs the players to stay together.

"The chairman is excellent and you never know, it might all turn around in the next five games."

Quinn added that former Manchester City manager Joe Royle would probably jump at the opportunity if it was offered.

"Joe's a good manager with plenty of experience and I'm sure he would relish the job."